Mesmerising ... There's something endlessly pleasurable in listening to a person talk about a subject on which they're both an enthusiast and an authority, and Tim Birkhead has both qualities in abundance.

The Telegraph

As Tim Birkhead reminds us in this wide-ranging and deeply researched study, human exploitation of the species goes back millennia … A lively and meticulous book.

The Spectator

A sad but engrossing elegy … The story of the great auk, movingly told in this book, continues. This remarkable bird is not forgotten.

Mail on Sunday

'An investigation and a homage; its a joy to come across some nerdish enthusiasm'

The Daily Telegraph

A fascinating book… The Great Auk tells the story of an iconic bird.

Literary Review

Quite simply, one of the best natural history books I have read.

Birdwatch